The present invention relates to a circuit interposer comprising a multilayer, universal, multi-functional, common conductive shield structure with conductive pathways for energy and EMI conditioning and protection that possesses a commonly shared and centrally positioned conductive pathway or electrode that simultaneously shields and allows smooth energy transfers such as decoupling operations between grouped and energized conductive pathways. The invention is for energy conditioning as it relates to integrated circuit (IC) device packaging or direct mounted IC modules, and more specifically, for interconnecting energy utilizing integrated circuit chips to a printed circuit board, (IC) device packaging or direct mounted IC modules as a interconnection medium between ICs and their component packaging and/or external energy circuit connections or other substrates containing energy pathways leading to and from an energy source and an energy utilizing load.
More specifically, the present invention allows paired or neighboring conductive pathways or electrodes to operate with respect to one another in a harmonious fashion, yet in an oppositely phased or charged manner, respectively. The invention will provide energy conditioning in such forms of EMI filtering and surge protection while maintaining apparent even or balanced voltage supply between a source and an energy utilizing-load when placed into a circuit and energized. The various embodiments of the invention will also be able to simultaneous and effectively provide energy conditioning functions that include bypassing, decoupling, energy storage, while maintaining a continued balance in SSO (Simultaneous Switching Operations) states without contributing disruptive energy parasitics back into the circuit system as the invention is passively operated within the circuit.
Interposer structures can be used in the manufacturing process of single and multi-chip modules (SCMs or MCMs) to electrically connect one or more integrated circuit chips (ICs) to a printed circuit board, discreet IC electronic packaging, or other substrates. The interposer provides conditioning of various forms of energy propagating along the contained internal interposer conductive pathways located between an energy source and an energy-utilizing load such as an IC. The interposer can provide energy paths between the IC chips and a PC board or substrate, and if desired, between different active component chips mounted on the interposer, itself.
A main disadvantage of conventional approaches to interconnecting and packaging of IC chips in Multi Chip Modules (MCMs) arises from the thinness of the substrates used in traditional multichip modules results in the energy feeds to the IC chips having relatively high impedance. This results in undesired noise, energy loss and excess thermal energy production. These problems are relevant and can be critical to system integrity when routing or propagating energy along pathways though an interposer substrate.
Electrical systems have undergone short product life cycles over the last decade. A system built just two years ago can be considered obsolete to a third or fourth generation variation of the same application. Accordingly, passive electronic components and the circuitry built into these the systems need to evolve just as quickly. However, the evolvement of passive electronic componentry has not kept pace. The performance of a computer or other electronic systems has typically been constrained by the operating frequency of its slowest active elements. Until recently, those elements were the microprocessor and the memory components that controlled the overall system""s specific functions and calculations. Nevertheless, with the advent of new generations of microprocessors, memory components and their data, the focus has changed. There is intense pressure upon the industry to provide the system user with increased processing energy and speed at a decreasing unit cost. EMI created in these environments must also be eliminated or minimized to meet international emission and/or susceptibility requirements.
Processor operating frequency (speed) is now matched by the development and deployment of ultra-fast RAM (Random Access Memory) architectures. These breakthroughs have allowed an increase of the overall systemxe2x80x94operating frequency (speed) of the active components past the 1 GHz mark. During this same period, however, passive component technologies have failed to keep up with these new breakthroughs and have produced only incremental changes in composition and performance. These advances in passive component design and changes have focused primarily upon component size reduction, slight modifications of discrete component electrode layering, dielectric discoveries, and modifications of device manufacturing techniques or rates of production that decrease unit production cycle times.
In addition, at these higher frequencies, energy pathways should normally be grouped or paired as an electrically complementary element or elements that work together electrically and magnetically in harmony and in balance within an energized system. Attempts to line condition propagating energy with prior art components has led to increased levels of interference in the form of EMI, RFI, and capacitive and inductive parasitics. These increases are due in part to manufacturing imbalances and performance deficiencies of the passive components that create or induce interference into the associated electrical circuitry.
These problems have created a new industry focus on passive components whereas, only a few years ago, the focus was primarily on the interference created by the active components from sources and conditions such as voltage imbalances located on both sides of a common reference or ground path, spurious voltage transients from energy surges or human beings, or other electromagnetic wave generators.
At higher operating speeds, EMI can also be generated from the electrical circuit pathway itself, which makes shielding from EMI desirable. Differential and common mode noise energy can be generated and will traverse along and around cables, circuit board tracks or traces, and along almost any high-speed transmission line or bus line pathway. In many cases, one or more of these critical energy conductors can act as an antenna, hence creating energy fields that radiate from these conductors and aggravate the problem even more. Other sources of EMI interference are generated from the active silicon components as they operate or switch. These problems such as SSO are notorious causes of circuit disruptions. Other problems include unshielded and parasitic energy that freely couples upon or onto the electrical circuitry and generates significant interference at high frequencies.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/561,283 filed on Apr. 28, 2000 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/579,606 filed on May 26, 2000, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/594,447 filed on Jun. 15, 2000 along with U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/200,327 filed Apr. 28, 2000, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/203,863 filed May 12, 2000, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/215,314 filed Jun. 30, 2000 by the applicants relate to continued improvements to a family of discrete, multi-functional energy conditioners. These multi-functional energy conditioners posses a commonly shared, centrally located, conductive electrode of a structure that can simultaneously interact with energized and paired conductive pathway electrodes contained in energy-carrying conductive pathways. These energy-carrying conductive pathways can operate in an oppositely phased or charged manner with respect to each other and are separated from one another by a physical shielding.
Based upon the foregoing, there has been found a need to provide a manufactured interposed circuit connection device that uses a layered, multi-functional, common conductive shield structure containing energy-conductive pathways that share a common and centrally positioned conductive pathway or electrode as part of its structure which allows for energy conditioning as well as a multitude of other functions simultaneously in one complete unit.
The invention will also comprise at least one inclusive embodiment or embodiment variation that possesses a commonly shared and centrally positioned conductive pathway or electrode as part of its structure.
The invention will also provide for simultaneous physical and electrical shielding to portions of an active chip structure as well as for internal propagating energies within the new structure by allowing predetermined, simultaneous energy interactions to take place between grouped and energized conductive pathways to be fed by pathways external to the embodiment elements.
This application expands upon this concept and further discloses a new circuit interposer comprising a multilayer, universal multi-functional, common conductive shield structure with conductive pathways that replaces multiple, discreet versions of various prior art devices with a single individual unit that provides a cost effective system of circuit protection and conditioning that will help solve or reduce industry problems and obstacles as described above.
Accordingly, the solution to low impedance energy distribution above several hundred MHz lies in thin dielectric energy plane technology, in accordance with the present invention, which is much more effective than multiple, discrete decoupling capacitors.
It is an object of the invention to be able to provide energy decoupling for active system loads while simultaneously maintaining a constant, apparent voltage potential for that same portion of active components and its circuitry.
It is an object of the invention to minimize or suppress unwanted electromagnetic emissions resulting from differential and common mode currents flowing within electronic pathways that come under the invention influence.
It is an object of the invention to provide a wide variety of multi-layered embodiments and utilize a host of dielectric materials, unlimited by their specific physical properties that can, when attached into circuitry and energized, provide simultaneous line conditioning functions and protections as will be described.
It is an object of the invention to provide the ability to the user to solve problems or limitations not met with prior art devices which include, but are not limited to, simultaneous source to load and/or load to source decoupling, differential mode and common mode EMI filtering, containment and exclusion of certain energies such as capacitive and inductive parasitics, as well as parasitic containment and surge protection in one integrated embodiment and that performs these described abilities when utilizing a conductive area or pathway.
It is an object of the invention to be easily adapted to utilization with or without, one or more external conductive attachments to a conductive area located external to the originally manufactured invention. The external connection to a conductive areaxe2x80x94can aid the invention embodiments in providing protection to electronic system circuitry.
It is an object of the invention to provide a physically integrated, shield-containment, conductive electrode architecture for the use with independent electrode materials and/or an independent dielectric material composition, that when manufactured, will not limit the invention to a specific form, shape, or size for the multitude of possible embodiments of the invention that can be created and is not limited to embodiments shown herein.
It is another object of the invention to provide a constant apparent voltage potential for portions of circuitry.
It is another object of the invention to provide an embodiment that utilizes standard manufacturing processes and be constructed of commonly found dielectric and conductive materials or conductively made materials to reach tight capacitive, inductive and resistive tolerances between or along electrical pathways within the embodiment, while simultaneously maintaining a constant and uninterrupted conductive pathway for energy propagating from a source to an energy utilizing load.
It is another object of this invention to provide a means of lowering circuit impedance by providing and maintaining conductive pathways that are essentially in parallel within the interposer to the energy source and the energy-utilizing load when attached into circuitry between these their energy conduits and to a circuit reference node or ground as a low circuit impedance pathway.
Lastly, it is an object of the invention to provide an embodiment that couples pairs or groups of paired electrical pathways or conductors very closely in relation to one another into an area or space partially enveloped by a plurality of commonly joined conductive electrodes, plates, or pathways, and can provide a user with a choice of selectively coupling external conductors or pathways on to separate or common conductive pathways or electrode plates located within the same embodiment.
Numerous other arrangements and configurations are also disclosed which implement and build upon the above objects and advantages of the invention in order to demonstrate the versatility and wide spread application of a universal energy conditioning interposer with circuit architecture for energy and EMI conditioning and protection within the scope of the present invention.